


Take My Breath Away

by sydneycai



Category: NINE PERCENT (Band), 偶像练习生 | Idol Producer (TV)
Genre: Angst, M/M, florist, hanahaki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-11
Updated: 2018-07-11
Packaged: 2019-06-08 20:33:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15251511
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sydneycai/pseuds/sydneycai
Summary: Hanahaki disease AU- “You made me smile whenever you brought me flowers, but I didn’t expect myself to be kneeling down on my bathroom floor, losing my breath because of them.”





	Take My Breath Away

**“Hanahaki disease”** is an illness born from unrequited love. Flowers grow and bloom inside the afflicted person’s lungs, which causes them to cough out flower petals. If love is left unreciprocated, the flowers fill the lungs leading to eventual death.”

 

  It hasn’t been long since Zeren’s touches turned to ice, since his smile kept slipping away, and since Yanchen started coughing up anemones- flowers of forgotten love. These white flowers have adorned his apartment ever since Zeren’s presence vanished.

 

  It’s hard to remember how it all started, but he knew that it didn’t start like this. Yanchen remembers _everything_ , from their first meeting and to his departure.

 

  It was a particularly slow day, and the flower store that he was manning hasn’t had any customers yet. That was when a man—probably in his early 20’s, tall, and handsome came rushing inside, fumbling around his pocket for change.

 

  “Anemones please. One bouquet.” Yanchen beamed at him, just like he always does but his gaze lingered a second longer, there he noticed. The jaw of the man is wide agape, and it seemed like there was a blush adorning his cheeks. ( _It was so cute_ , _Yanchen says._ )

 

  “Don’t you know what these flower symbolizes?” Yanchen asks with his back turned against him, fixing his bouquet. He decided that the man didn’t know because of the silence enveloping them, and proceeded to inform him about it’s meaning.

 

  “It means forgotten love. Have you ever experienced that before?” He turns to him, and a dark shadow has been cast over the man’s face. Yanchen feels apologetic, knowing that he struck a nerve.

 

  “No. I haven’t, this is for my best friend.” Yanchen _knows_ , being a florist and all that every person coming into his quaint shop has a story to tell—or to experience. The majority of them bidding farewell to their loved ones because of _the disease_. He can’t count how many times people have cursed him whenever he answers “florist” for an occupation.

 

  “I’m sorry.” He says, eyes looking down the floor, afraid of the other’s reaction. “No problem. By the way, my name is Zeren.” He bounces back pretty quickly; Yanchen thinks and lifts his head to be greeted by a dazzling smile from Zeren.

 

  “I’m guessing your name is Yanchen? Or is your nametag fake?” He squints, reading the fine print of Yanchen’s nametag while chuckling at his joke. Yanchen doesn’t know whether to call him out and say, _that’s not a joke_ or laugh with him because he’s _just a little bit_ enchanted with his laugh and maybe he wants to hear more.

 

  “It’s real.” He adjusts his nametag; as if it could go any straighter, contented that it finally has a purpose. Zeren chuckles, but when his phone buzzes, his eyes widen and he almost left the store without claiming his flowers.

 

  “Hey! Your bouquet!” Yanchen shouts, while his eyes crinkles because he finds the skidding and turning of Zeren funny. “Thank you!” Zeren shouts back, waving the white flowers in the air. Yanchen wonders if he’ll ever meet this man again—the anemones guy.

 

  Not a week later, he visited again all spruced up. “What’s the occasion now? A date perhaps?” Zeren shuffles his feet a bit, and nods his head. Yanchen’s heart drops, and he falls apart. He tries breathing evenly, and he’s _relieved_ that no flowers have started blocking his airway.

 

  “What now? Roses?” He shakes his head, thinking for a better flower suited for dates. “Forget-me-nots!” He says, slamming his fist against his palm. Zeren stands there struck, not knowing anything about flowers.

 

  “Good thing I have you.” He rubs the back of his nape, and his bangs cover his eyes. Yanchen brushes them away unconsciously, and they lock eyes. He flushes a crimson red, retracting his hand as quick as possible. The both of them chuckle awkwardly, as Yanchen turns back to prepare the flowers.

 

  “It’s pretty shade of blue.” Zeren comments after not being able to stand the silence any longer. “I like anemones better.” Yanchen replies curtly. He never understood what there was a negative connotation about forgetting—it was a natural process in life. He thought that it’s a beautiful flower, just perfect to be the last one that someone will see before they leave.

 

  “Why? Isn’t is supposed to be a sad flower?” He ties the ribbon in place, securing the whole bouquet. He hands it to Zeren with two hands, while he stares blankly. “Don’t you think that the cycle of life is sad too?” That made Zeren shut up, and he hands him a piece of paper.

 

  “XXXX-XXX-XXXX, 8PM at the Lang Fang Hotel.” Yanchen picks up the paper with an inquisitive stare, reading it letter by letter. “What is this for?” He places it between his two hands, smoothing the crinkles out. “You’re my date.”

 

  Yanchen lets out a laugh, and Zeren stands there confused. “I’m sorry, sorry, my bad.” He says, in between clutching his stomach and bellowing from laughter. Zeren stomps his foot, and it makes a thump sound, which greatly pleased him.

 

  “Why are you laughing at me?”

 

  “I’m not laughing at you. Here I thought that I was jealous of this girl that I obviously can’t compare to. Oh also, I thought that you were straight.” He slaps his mouth after he blurts out this information.

 

  “You were jealous?” Yanchen couldn’t believe that Zeren’s large eyes could widen even more. He wishes that he could go dig up a ditch and bury himself there for a time until the embarrassment washes away.

 

  “What of it?” He acts tough, putting up protective defenses. “Nothing. I think that it’s cute.” Upon hearing the word _cute_ , his walls have been broken down. He’s just _that_ weak for him, considering that they’ve only just met.

 

  “Okay.” Zeren tilts his head, his bangs also flopping along with it, and Yanchen blushes at how brave he was earlier. “What do you mean okay?” Yanchen wants to slam his head onto the cash register, making all the buttons ding because of how dense this person actually is.

 

  “Okay. Okay, I’m agreeing to the date.” Zeren pumps up his fists, and the rest was history. The date went perfectly, because of Zeren’s humor there was never a dull moment. Yanchen loves how they perfectly click, as if their hearts were just pulling each other closer, their lips locking and swapping promises under their breath.

 

  Never in a million years would Yanchen ever imagine himself being in an unrequited love—either it was worth the risk or it wasn’t. One thing that confuses him is _when_ , and _why_ ; when did Zeren stop loving him, and why.

 

  He just passed his birthday a couple months ago, and he could still remember his heart leaping up in joy, almost threatening to break through his ribcage just to smile upon Zeren’s face.

 

  “Surprise!” He undid the blindfold covering Yanchen’s eyes, and he couldn’t help but cover his mouth in shock with all the preparation that Zeren did for his birthday. He couldn’t imagine how much this would’ve cost.

 

  “This is so…” Yanchen’s at a lost for words, he never received any special treatment from his friends, or his family. Zeren was the first, and maybe that’s part of the reason why he deeply clings onto him even as he feels the flowers blocking his throat, rooting itself into his lungs as he tries to gasp for air.

 

  The venue was beautiful, and he didn’t know how to repay Zeren. He covered the whole place with anemones, and the whole place looked beautiful in white. He squealed and jumped with joy as he kissed Zeren’s cheek—which was very unlike him—as Zeren wraps him in embrace.

 

   “I love you.” Zeren smiles as he looks from atop of Yanchen, and kisses his hair. “I love you too. Forever.” He mumbles back, and they share that moment together. Two atoms combining into one, forming something greater that words couldn’t begin to fathom.

 

  Now, as he feels the velvety petals on his mouth, he knows that it was a lie. He wants to cough up all the flowers, as well as the feelings. He knows that he won’t, even if he can because given another chance, he’d still choose this path. He’ll still choose to have his heart be wrapped by thin stems, and to have petals bunching up in his mouth, an awful reminder of the _forgotten love_.

 

  Ironic as it is, Zeren was worth every risk. Zeren was worth dying, worth waking up in the middle of the night wanting to rip his own chest open and stomp on his heart to make the hurt go away. He’d rather burn up in longing than not knowing Ding Zeren, because that was what he knew best—loving him.

 

  Even if centuries will come, and he’ll be reincarnated to somebody else, he knows that he’ll choose being strangled alive. He’ll smile and say, “I love you” knowing that in the end he’ll be clutching his heart, begging it to calm down.

 

  This is Yanchen’s fate—to be suffocated by what he loves the most.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope that all of you enjoyed this fic!! I know this isn't sad but I just wanted it to kinda hurt? Or something idk really I hope that you got my point! Also I'm planning to write a ten plus chapters hanahaki soulmate au that's bitingkun? so maybe wait for that!! 
> 
> Follow me on my social media:  
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/mylinkai)  
> [curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/sydneygu)  
> 


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